Song of the Samurai: Story, Cast and Series Facts

Story and premise

Song of the Samurai is a live-action adaptation that translates this deep legacy to the screen. Set in Kyoto at the end of the Edo period, the story depicts the intense and passionate lives of the Shinsengumi - the iconic samurai force that defended Kyoto in the final years of Japan's shogunate - through spectacular action and a bold interpretation based on historical facts. The story follows street brawler Toshizo Hijikata, who finds a new kind of family in Isami Kondo and Soji Okita. Hijikata and his comrades in the Shinsengumi forge a bond of loyalty - tested by betrayal, illness, and war - as they fight not only their enemies but their own ideals.

Series details

• Title: Song of the Samurai
• Format: Scripted
• Language: Japanese
• Genres: Drama, Action, History
• Premiere date: 2026-03-26
• Final broadcast date listed: 2026-06-27
• Status in TVmaze: Ended
• Network listed by TVmaze: TBS
• Network country: Japan
• TVMaze ID: 90538
• IMDb ID: tt39387632
• TVDB ID: 471755

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

• Season 1: premiered 2026-03-26; final listed air date 2026-06-27.

Source and licence

Adapted from Song of the Samurai on TVmaze. The synopsis is reproduced as plain text; catalogue facts, cast and season records are selected and reformatted. This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, following the TVmaze API licence. Network and web-channel credits identify the service listed in this source; they do not establish current streaming availability.